Apparatus for electroplating



D85; 1944- R, L. STRICKLAN'D ETAL 2,364,564

APPARATUS FOR ELEGTROPL'IATING Filed March 13, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l l l -INVENTORS I f" R x. W

I \l' W 20 m ATTORNEY.

1944- R. L. STRICKLAND ETAL 2,364,554

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1943 W INVENTORS.

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I i III QI Patented Dec. 5, 1944 2,364,56t ArrAaArUs ron-nnno'raorm'rnic Randolph L. Strickland and Harold Zemon, De-

to Detroit Aluminum and Mich, a corporation of troit, Mich, assignors Brass Corp, Detroit,

Michigan Application March 13, 1943, Serial No. 479,030

1 Claim.

More specifically this application discloses apparatus-for simultaneously plating the inside and 7 outside surfaces of a tube. Such apparatus is disclosed in the appended drawings.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a tube to be plated, the surfaces to be plated being indicated by heavy lines.

Figs. 2-8 show the apparatus.

Fig. 1 shows a tube Hi whose inner surface II and a broad stripe I2 of whose outer surface are to be plated simultaneously, leaving unplated the narrow annular stripes ll of the outer surface.

The support for the tube it] comprises a split ring 20 whose halves are inter-secured by clamp ing bolts 2! and which has supporting rods 22 secured thereto, the ring surrounding the tube Ill at a lower one of the stripes M, the latter thus being blocked ofi by the ring 29. An electric circuit to the tube Ill from any suitable terminal is conducted through either or both supporting rods 22 and the ring 20 which may be of conducting material, such as steel, not soluble in the electrolyte, or it may be of insulating material with a conducting strap'provided thereon to establish a conducting path between the tube H] at stripe l4 and a post 01 rod 22.

When the tube In is disposed within the clamping ring 20 it will project upwardly therefrom as indicated leaving exposed the inner surface H, the stripe l2, and the upper stripe M. The latter may be blocked 011 by any suitable means such as. a rubber band 23 so that only the surfaces H and I! are exposed.

The anode consists of a body 30 in the form --of a steel tube to whose lower end is secured a tube 3| plugged at its lower end by any suitable plug 32. The tube 3| isadapted to contain material with which the tube is to be plated and is formed porous so thatv contact can be made between the electrolyte and the material within tube 3| Formed on tube 3| are blades or paddles 33 for stirring and for circulating the electrolyte.

Clamped to the steel tube 30 by a vsplit clamping ring 35 are several og'ee shaped anode elements 36 whose lower ends 81 project downwardly to be more or less parallel to the axis of tubes HI-30%|, being deflected as indicated to serve as paddles or agitators for the electrolyte.

The elements 35 are in electrical contact with the anode tube 39 where they engage such tube and tube 30 is connected to a terminal to serve as an anode. All except the areas indicated at 38 on the inner lower surfaces of the elements 36-31 are coated with insulation so that inner areas 38 only are in electrical contact with electrolyte. The areas 38 determine the thickness of plating on stripe i2 of tube I0.

I The anode. consisting of tubes 30-31 and elements 36, may be telescoped into and around a tube Ill seated in ring 28 so that the porous tube 3! will face the inner surface I! of tube it and so that areas 38 will face the outer stripe it of tube In with all of the parts shown immersed in electrolyte. With the anode revolving on its axis, and with ordinary plating requirements being met, surfaces H and I2 of the tube it will be electroplated simultaneously.

The work support comprising ring 26 and rods 22 is believed to be a novel work support or arrangement for the purposes herein described.

The addition to the anode of elements 36 permitting simultaneous plating of the inner and outer surfaces of tube Ill is also believed to be new, for whereas anodes consisting of tubes 3il-3l have been used for plating the interior of a tube, it is not believed that such anodes have been equipped with anode elements 38 to permit the outer surfaces l2 to be plated simultaneously with the inner surface H.

Now having described the plating apparatus herein disclosed reference should be had to the claim which follows for a determination of the invention hereof.

I claim: Apparatus for electroplating the inside and outside of a tube simultaneously comprlsing a tube support and an anode assembly, the tube support being of a character to leave exposed the surfaces of the tube to be plated, the anode assembly consisting of a body whose lower end is adapted to be disposed within the upper end of the tube, and supplementary elements secured at the upper end only to said body at a point above the tube and adapted to be disposed around the-upper end ofthe tube outside of it, the anode assembly moving as a unit during the position ing of the tube and the anode assembly for plating.

V RANDOLPHLSTRICKLAND.

HAROLD ZEMON. l 

